Game.



B. A. COOKE.

. 1919. 1.3326348. Patented M130, 1919.

g, 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

\INVENTOR. BY BA.G0O E ATTbRNEii- B. A. COOKE.

GAME. APPLICATION HLFD JULY-1| I919- Patented Dec. 30; 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M BY BLA. 000.78 9

ATTORNEY.

B. A. 000K5- GAME.

APPLICATION HLED JULY 1 1919- 1,326,848. Patented Dec. 30,1919.

' a SHEETS-SHEET a.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

BY C'OOki UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BARNEY A. COOKIE, 0F LINDSAY, CALIFORNIA.

GAME.

Application filed July 7, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BARNEY A. CooKE,

residing at Lindsay, in the county of Tulare and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Games, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to amusement devices, particularly to games, and has for its object the provision of a game device adapted for attachment to or use in connection with a ten pin or box ball alley.

An important object is the provision of a device of this character which is in the nature of a rotatable star wheel, the arms of which carry number plates numbered on one side from 1 to 3 and on the other side from 1 to A to agree with the number of possible strikes or base hits in a base ball game, the wheel being rotated by striking it with a ball bowled upon the alley, the rotation of the wheel in one direction indicating strikes on the side at bat, rotation of the wheel in the other direction, depending upon which side the bowler hits, indicating the number of base hits, obtained by the side at bat, and missing the wheel altogether denoting a ball, all these various possibilities being in accordance with the rules of practice of a base ball game.

Another object is the provision of a de vice of this character in which the star wheel is peculiarly mounted so that after being struck and rotated, when it comes to rest, opposite ones of the arms must be disposed at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the alley so that a definite result may be ascertained and the wheel arms be prevented from stopping with the arms at any position other than either at right angles to or parallel with the longitudinal axis of the alley.

Another object is the provision of a device of this character in which the wheel has the ends of its arms provided with soft rubber tips which will bend to one side or the other if struck directly square by a ball so that the ball will be deflected to one side I or the other and effect rotation of the wheel.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

Serial No. 309,059.

the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of a bowling alley, showing my device attached thereto,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of my device,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof,

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the device,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the base,

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the star wheel,

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view the plunger engaging catches, and

Fig. 8 is a view of all the number plates, showing both sides thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the letter 'A designates a bowling alley which may be an ordinary ten pin alley or box ball alley, or which may be an alley especially constructed for use with my device.

In carrying out my invention I provide a base block 10, preferably rectangular in shape and provided centrally with a hole 11 about which is arranged a ball bearing 12 including the usual plurality of balls arranged in a suitable race. At its corners the base block 10 is secured by screws 13 or the like upon the alley A at its center toward one end. Arranged in concentric series with respect to the ball bearing 12, is a plurality of vertically disposed plungcrs 14: which extend above the top of the base block and which have disposed therebeneath springs 15 which normally urge the plungers upwardly.

The star wheel structure comprises a central block 16 preferably of the samesize and shape as the base 10 and provided with a central hole 17 registering with the hole 11 in the base. Secured upon the underside of the block 16 is a metallic plate 18 also provided with a central hole 19 registering with the holes 11 and 17. A pivot bolt 20 passes through these registering holes and is provided at one end with a head 21 engaging within a recess in the bottom of the base block and having its other end provided with a transverse pin 22 engaging the top of the block 16 for holding the block 16 against separation from the base 10. The

showing metallic plate 18 is provided in concentric series with grooves 23 which are provided at their centers with deep socket like portions 24 and which have their bottoms 25 tapered from each side of the central portion 24 and merging into the plane bottom surface of the plate. These grooves are so arranged that they will be engaged by the plungers 1a which will travel therein. Secured upon all four sides of the block 16 are spokes 26 which are wedge shaped and which have their points 27 formed as soft rubber tips, for a purpose to be described. The spokes are secured to the block 16 as by means of screws 28 threaded in the metallic socket 29 in the block 16.

Disposed upon the spokes adjacent their junctures with the block 16 are metallic plates 30, 31, 32 and 33, each of which is provided at its lower end with a screw 34, threaded within a metallic socket 35 let into the spoke. These plates are provided upon one side with the numbers 1, 2 and 3, the number 1 being duplicated, and carrying upon their other sides, the numbers 1, 2, 3 and 1, the first series designating strikes and the second series designating base hits. The numeral 36. designates the home plate.

In the use of the device, it is secured as above described, upon a bowling alley and a home plate 36 is marked'upon the alley adjacent the device. The same is to be played by two sides and any suitable number of players may be used on each side. One side is supposed to be at bat and the other side is supposed to be out, and the side at bat is idle while the other side is playing. In playing the game, the player or players on the side at bat bowl the balls, which may be ordinary ten pin or duck pin balls, down the alley in the endeavor to strike the star wheel. When the players ball strikes the wheel to the right, the wheel will be rotated to the right, rapidly at first and subsequently more slowly, as will be obvious. As the wheel rotates, the grooves 23 will ride over the spring pressed plungers 14: and as the speed of wheel diminishes the plungers will engage within the deep portions 24 of the grooves and stop the wheel. Owin to the provision of these deep portions 1n the grooves, the wheel will always stop at the proper position with two opposite arms or spokes extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the alley and the number on the plate at the right hand spoke will be clearly visible. This number displayed will indicate the number of strikes on the side at bat. If the players ball strikes the left side of the wheel, the wheel will be rotated and when it comes to rest the number visible on the plate at the left will indicate the number of base hits earned by the side at bat. If the ball missesv the wheel entirely it means one ball for the side at bat and four such entitle the side at bat to one base hit. If the number four appears at the left it of course indicatesa home run. This is continued until an aggregate of nine strikes has been displayed at the right side of the wheel, which will mean. that the side at bat is out. The total of the numbers visible at the left of the wheel will indicate the number of runs secured by the side at bat. When the side at bat is out the previously idle set of players take turn at bowling. This is continued until nine innings have been played in harmony with the practice in a base ball game.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a simple device which may be used as an attachment to a bowling alley whereby a base ball game may be played, the game being such as to require considerable skill in playing and being very entertaining.

Whlle I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention it is of course to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction, and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination with a bowling alley, of a wheel rotatably mounted thereon in position to be engaged by balls bowled upon the alley, said wheel embodying a plurality of spokes carrying indicia, and means for holding the wheel with opposite spokes extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the alley when the wheel has stopped rotating.

2. The combination with a bowling alley, of a wheel rotatably mounted thereon and including 'a plurality of spokes adapted to be struck by balls bowled upon the alley whereby the wheel will be rotated, means for holding the wheel when it has subsequently stopped rotating with opposite ones of said arms extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the alley, and number plates carried by said spokes and bearing upon one side numbers designating strikes and on their other sides numbers designating base hits, the first series of numbers being visible at one side of the axis of the wheel and the other series being visible at the other side of the axis.

3. A device of the character described comprising a supporting base adapted for attachment upon a bowling alley, a wheel rotatably mounted upon said base and including a plurality of spokes, and a verticallyextending number plate disposed upon one side with numbers ranging from one to three designating strikes and upon their grooves traveling over the plungers during other sides With numbers ranging from one rotation of the Wheel, said grooves merging to four and designating base hits. at their ends into the lower surface of the 4;. A device of the character described Wheel and inclined from their ends toward 5 comprising a supporting base, a plurality of the sockets formed at their centers, said sock- 15 upwardly spring pressed plungers extending ets being adapted for the reception of said above the upper surface thereof, a Wheel displungers, and number plates carried by said posed upon and pivotally mounted upon said spokes. base and including a plurality of spokes, said In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature. 10 Wheel being provided in its underside With BARNEY A. COOKE. 

